New Group Asking Local Councils To Engage Youth

The Youth Council Coalition of Canada making a presentation to Amherstburg Council on September 10, 2018 (Photo by AM800's Zander Broeckel)

A newly formed group is trying to increase the number of young people involved in local councils.

As it stands now, only Leamington, Tecumseh and Essex have youth engagement and the Youth Council Coalition of Canada is hoping to change that.

Director Jacey Silvaggi says youth are often under represented as 10 to 24-years-olds make up nearly 19% of the Windsor-Essex population, and input from young people is important.

"We're just trying to get youth involved and in the municipalities across Windsor-Essex," he says. "We just want more community involvement to bring issues that are relevant to everybody, going forward, to these municipalities and these council members, to get things going and to have their voices heard."

A photo from the Youth Council Coalition of Canada website (Photo courtesy of the Youth Council Coalition of Canada)

Silvaggi tells AM800 News getting involved early is a must for future success.

"To have their voices heard and other impacts in the community that sometimes these council members don't think of. I think it's important, as they grow up, to get more involved and then when there are positions open they have more involvement already," he says. “They’re not going to shy away and will help fill those positions from retired council members."

He says getting a wide range of feedback is never a bad thing.

The Youth Council Coalition is currently visiting councils across Essex County asking for support.